Method of and apparatus for making a carton



Aug. 12, 1958 v F. c. GROSS ,9

' METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A CARTON 6 Filed May 28, 1952 ATTORNEYS United States Patent METHOD OF *AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A CARTON Frank C. Gross, Somers, Cnn., assignor to Package Machinery Company, East Longmeadow, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 28, 1952, Serial No. 290,545

4 Claims. (Cl. 93- 51) Thisinvention relates to an improved carton construction and a method .of making cartons from cut blanks. More particularly. it relates to cartons of the tray type.

.Cartons of the above type are commonly made from blanks having bottom, side and end wall portions, the side and end walls being bent at right angles to the bottom wall to form a tray. The adjacent ends ofthe end and side walls have been connected together at the corners of the tray by corner stay pieces or by providing the side or end wall members with a flap which extends over the adjacent member and securing the flap by stapling orgluing it ,to the adjacent member or by interlocking the end of the flap in a slit formed in, the adjacent wall member.

. The so-called glued cartons or trays,.that is the type in-whichthe flaps are glued in place have certain advantages in cheapness because of the simplicity of the blank used and in the rigidity of the tray. These advantages have been offset, however, by the fact that more time is required in setting up and gluing the blanks in tray. form as compared with the interlocked type. In the interlocked type high speed machine operation is possible but the cutting of the blank, with respect to the shape and position of the interlocking portions, is critical and the'completed tray lacks rigidity at the corners.

One object ofthe present invention is the provision of a gluedtray construction which has the advantages of blank simplicity and corner rigidity but which can be set up and glued on high speed machines.

Asecond object is to provide a method by which the novel construction can be set up using the highspeed interlocking machines now available, and a further object is the provision of a gluing device which can operate with and be attachedto a high speed setting up machine of the interlocking type. i V

Otherandfurther objects will be made apparent in the following specification and claims and in the accompanying drawing. a

In general the above objectives are obtained by providing -the s end wall members with sidewise extending tongues preferably having bluntly pointed free ends, the tongues being folded. over the outer surface of the adjacent, end portions of the side wall members with the bluntly pointedends freely inserted through slits formed in the side wall members, each tongue and adjacent'side wall being glued togetherv intermediate .the slit and the corner of the tray along a zone extending from the upper to thelower edge of the side wall. Specific relationships and relative positioning of the parts which further characterize the construction will be hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a generally perspective view of a blank from which'the tray is made;

Fig." 2 is a similar view illustrating an intermediate position of the parts in making or setting up the tray;

I Fig: 3 is a similar view of the finished tray; 'c Fi g. '4 'is a fragmentary plan view partly in'section-of "ice the folding channel of a tray forming machineembodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view substantially onqline. 55-

looking from the left of glue feed and glue applying roll; and 1 tures.

' Referring to the drawing, 1 generally indicates the blank from which the tray is formed. As shown this. blank comprises a bottom forming portion 2,-side wall forming portions 3, end wall forming portions 4 and tongues 5 extending from the sides ofthe endawall portions 4.. The blank is scored as shown by broken} lines to hinge the side and end wall members. to the bottomof thetray and to hinge the tongues 5 to the end wall members. The corners of the tongues 5 are cut away to bluntly point the free end portions ofthe tongues as indicated at 6. The end portions of side wall members 3.

areprovided with cuts 7, the cuts 7 being spaced a distance from the ends of wall members, 3 slightly less than the overall length of the tongues 5. The length of cuts 7 is such that the blunted end portions 6 of the tongues are freely engageable in the slits as shown in Fig. 3, the tongues making a spatulate engagement in the slits as distinguished from the barbed engagement of the locking tongues of the locked type of tray.

I As shown the cuts 7 extend at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tongues 5 so that the edges of the cut exert a direct, substantially uniform and maximum pressure on the tongues transversely of the latter. I

in setting up or forming the tray from the blank of Fig. 1 the side walls 3 are swung to a position at right angles to the bottom 2 as shown in Fig. 2 and glue is applied totheouter face of each side wall along a zone extending from the upper edge to the lower edge thereof ;as indicated at 8. The glued zones 8 are positioned intermediate the ends of the side walls and the cuts 7,

closely adjacent the latter, the glue employed, as later more fully discussed is of a fast or quick drying type.

As :theglue is being applied the-end walls ;4 and tongues 5 are being bent to substantially the position shownin Fig. 2. As the application of the glue is completed the tongues 5 are swung inwardly towards and against the outer faces of the side walls 3 and end walls 4 are almost simultaneously swung to a position at right angles to the bottom 2. In the meantime the portions of the side walls 3 inwardly of the cuts 7 have been pressed slightly outwardly-enough to open the cutswith the result that the blunt end portions 6 of the tongues enterthe slits as the end walls 4 move to vertical position bringing the members to the completely set up position of Fig. 3.-

Momentary pressure ;is applied to the surface of the tongues over the glued zones and a continuing pressure is applied by the portion of the side walls inwardly ;of

the cuts due to the spatulate engagement of the end por As shown the machine comprises a vertical folding die generally defined by side folding membersIS and'end folding members 16. The carton or tray blanks 1 a'reffed to the dotted line position of Fig. 5 where theblankr'ests, between guides 17 on shoulders 18 extending"outwardly Patented Aug. 12, 1958- Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views showing modifiedstruc from" thet'op of folding'rnemhe'rs' 15. In this position the blank is engaged by a' reci rocatin mandrel plunger" 19" and carried downwardly pastthe folding and gluing instrumentalities. In the initial movement of the blankhy-"them'andrel the'side' walls 3 of the blank are folded upwardly against the sides of the mandrel as" shown in Figs; 4" and 5. The" sides of the mandrel carry project1o ns 20 positioned to engage the sides of the tray iriwardly of the cuts" 7 and spread or open the latter as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 Continued downward movement of the mandrel carties the partially folded tray into contact" with, and past, opposed pairs of glue applying rolls 21 later more fully described, located adjacent each end of the mandrel, which apply'glue'to'the zones 8, outwardly of, and closely adjacent, the cuts 7, as best shown in Fig. 4. As the tray is being carried past the glue rolls 21 end folders 16 are" swinging the end walls 4 upwardly and folders 22' are swinging the tongues' 5 inwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. As the tray leaves the glue rolls the tongues 5 are brought against the outer face of the sidewalls 3 in position to enter the opened cuts 7 and upon further downward movement of the" mandrel folders 16 Bring the end walls 4 into vertical position inserting the end portions 6 of the tongues 5 through the opened cuts 7, bringing the tray members to the position of Fig. 3. Yieldably mounted end rollers 55 serve to square up the carton by' further pressing e'nd wall portions 4 against the ends of the side wall portions 3 as the carton and mandrel pass by during their downward travel.

The final portion of the downward movement of mandrel 19 carries the tray between pairs of opposed presser rolls 23 which are in vertical alignment with the rolls 21 andwhich engage the tongues 5 over the glue zones8 to press the tongues firmly against the glue zones. As the mandrel reaches the end of its downward stroke the upper side edges of the tray spring outwardly to be engaged by shoulders 24 at the lower stripper portions 25 of memhers to he thereby stripped from the mandrel as the latter moves upwardly. The tray remains between the strippers 25 until forced from the machine by, the next tray. During this period and subsequently the glued portions of the walls 3 and tongues 5 arepressed or held firmly in engagement by the pressure resulting from the spatulate engagement of the tongue portions 6 in the slots'7, the setting of the glue or other adhesive resulting in a corner construction at least equal in rigidity to conventional glued corner constructions and superior inthese respects to the interlocked tray.

The glue rolls 21 are each rotatably mounted between fork arms- 27 of a member 28 adjustably secured to a bracket 29 by ascrew 30 extending through a slot 31 in the wall of the bracket. The bracket 29 is mounted on a frame member 32 for adjustment longitudinally of the die". Frame members 32 are mounted adjacent their ends to a pair of supporting plates 56, one of each pair being shown in Fig. 5, adjustably secured to the machine endframes (not shown) for adjustment transversely of the die. The members 28 are each formed with a bore 33 opening through the base of the forks 27, and through which a woman glue supply plunger 34 slidably extends. Plunger 34 includes a head 35 which makes an arcuate concentric engagement (Fig. 5) with the peripheral surface of the glue roll. As best shown in Fig. 7, the peripher'al surface of the glue roll is formed with transversegrooves or other suitably shaped depressions 36. The grooves 36 are preferably slightly longer than the diameter of the glue passage 37 in the head 35 but are shortei than the outside diameter of the head so that, as the rolls rotate over the gluesupply opening, the grooves 36 are filled with glue. The opposite end of plunger 34exte'n'ds through and is slidably supported by a bushing 38 th'r'e'a'ded in a wall of bracket 29. A compression spring 40 surrounding the plunger 34, with its opposite ends-engaging head 35 and bushing 38, urges 4. the head of the plunger into contact with the glue roll with a pressure which is controlled by adjusting the position of bushing 38 in the bracket, the bushing being held in adjusted position by a set screw 41. Plunger 34 is prevented from rotation in bore 33 by a screw 42 which engages in a keyway 43 formed in the plunger head 35.

The free end of plunger 34 is connected by a flexible tube, 44 or other suitable conduit, to source of glue, not shown, from which glue issupplied under gravity pressure to the glue rolls. As will be apparent, a closed glue system is thus provided which prevents undesirable escape of glue over adjacent parts of the machine, and confines the glue supply to the grooves 36. Evaporation and setting of the glue is confined to the surface of the glue rolls. The small body of glue in each of the grooves is sufiicient to withstand objectionable hardening or setting during a momentary stoppage and in the event of a prolonged stoppage only the surface of the roll requires cleaningv with a suitable glue solvent to prepare the machine for continued operation. The quantity of glue applied can be controlled by the depth and width of the grooves, the length of the grooves being held to a dimension such that the ends of the grooves are closed by the walls of the head 35, as shown in Fig. 7

Following the insertion of the portions 6 of the tongues 5 through cuts 7, as above described by the folders 16 and 22, the portions of the tongues 5 overlying the glue zones 8 are engaged by the pressure rolls 23 'journaled in the bracket 29. The shafts 46 of the rolls 23 carry sprockets 47 driven by a sprocket chain 48 from sprockets 49 fixed to shafts 50. The shafts 50 are driven either continuously or intermittently in any suitable manner from the power shaft of the machine, not shown. As previously described, the rolls- 23 press the tongues 5 against the glued zones 8, distributing the ridges of glue deposited from the grooves 36 of the glue rolls and pressing the tongues 5 into adhering contact with the sides of the box, the pressure being thereafter maintained by the engagement of the ends of the tongue in the cuts 7.

If found desirable, and as shown in Fig. 8, the shafts of the respective glue rolls 21 may -be' provided with rubber friction rolls 51 which engage the sides of the box over the plunger 19 to assist in the rotation of the glue rolls. Alternatively and as shown in Fig. 9, the shaft of the glue rolls 21 may be provided sprockets 52 which are driven, in common with pressure rolls 23, from sprockets 49 by a chain 53 which replaces chain 48.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of making cartons which comprises" forming a blank having a bottom wall and opposed side and end walls extending therefrom, providing the side walls with straight line, closed end cuts adjacent but spaced from and substantially parallel to the ends of the side walls, providing the ends of the end walls with straight sided, blunt ended, spatulate tongues of a width and length to freely enter said cuts, folding the" side walls to a position at right angles to the bottom wall, applying a fast setting adhesive to the outer face of the so-folded side walls intermediate the cuts and the ends of the side walls while substantially simultaneously folding the end walls toward and to a position at right angles to the bottom wall and the tongues against the side walls and inserting the ends of the tongues inwardly through said cuts to place the tongues in spatulate engagement with the adjacent face of the side walls, momen tarily pressing the tongues into adhering engagement with the underlying adhesively coated portions of the side walls and thereafter permitting the adhesive to set solely under the pressure exerted by the spatulate engagement of the tongues and side walls at opposite sides of the cuts;

2. In a carton forming machine for forming cartons from pre-cut blanks having bottom, side and end walls, the side walls being provided with straight line, closed end cuts adjacent but spaced from and substantially parallel to the ends of the side walls and the ends of the end walls having straight sided, blunt ended, spatulate tongues of a width and length to freely enter said cuts, said machine having a mandrel plunger and a cooperating folding die through which said blank is carried by the plunger to fold the side walls of the blank against the sides of the plunger at right angles to the bottom wall of the blank; projections carried by the plunger and engaging the side walls at points outwardly of and intermediate the closed ends of the cuts to open the cuts without substantial distortion of the portions of the side walls between the cuts and the ends of the side wall, rolls mounted at the sides of the path of the plunger and positioned to make peripheral engagement with the side walls of the carton intermediate the cuts and the ends of the side walls, means to supply fast setting adhesive in fresh, unset condition directly to the peripheries of the rolls, means positioned below said rolls to substantially simultaneously fold the end walls against the plunger and the tongues against the side walls with the ends of the tongues extending inwardly of the adjacent slots as the carton is moved out of contact with the said rolls by the plunger, and presser rolls positioned below the said end wall and tongue folding means and making peripheral engagement with the carton in alignment with said first-named rolls to press the portions of the tongues intermediate the cuts and ends of the side wall into engagement with the underlying adhesively coated portions of the side walls.

3. In a carton forming machine as recited in claim 2, means to drive the presser rolls in timed relation with the plunger.

4. In a carton forming machine as recited in claim 2, means to drive said first-named rolls and said presser rolls in timed relation with each other and the plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 374,886 Brown Dec. 13, 1887 523,155 Stone et al. July 17, 1894 738,516 Beers Sept. 8, 1903 1,868,567 Cunningham July 26, 1932 2,549,579 Dearsley Apr. 17, 1951 2,553,592 Kucklinsky May 22, 1951 2,580,189 Pagendarm Dec. 25, 1951 2,604,827 Hickin July 29, 1952 

